November 27, 2001

To ensure its structural integrity and future safety, Transportation and Government Services Minister Steve Ashton announced today that the Golden Boy will be removed from the top of the Manitoba Legislative Building for repairs.

"From an engineering perspective, there are no other options available to us--we have to bring the Golden Boy down to make repairs that ensure it will remain securely atop the Legislative Building," said Ashton. "Over the last number of months we have investigated a number of options that would have allowed us to make the repairs while keeping the statue in place. All of these options, however, are simply not viable."

Study of the famous statue during recent renovations of the Legislative Building's tower revealed corrosion has reduced the diameter of the Golden Boy's central support post by 12 mm (half an inch). Wind tunnel and metallurgy tests, conducted to determine remaining strength and load carrying capacity of the iron support, shows the support now has an estimated lifespan of only 20-30 years.

A review of test results by structural engineers from Intelligent Sensing of Innovative Structures (ISIS) has confirmed the findings of Dillon Consulting, the project engineers, and the Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel Laboratory that the Golden Boy should be removed to do the repairs properly.

Assessment of the Golden Boy to date has included:

• a photogrammetric survey to produce a three-dimensional digital picture;
• an endoscopic investigation confirming how the support post is anchored and how the Golden Boy was assembled and cast;
• sampling of the statue's bronze to analyse its properties;
• detailed surface inspections to identify areas needing repair or remedial work;
• removal of a bronze plate on the supporting leg to take samples of the iron support post;
• removal of the roof section under the statue's base to inspect the mounting structure; and
• wind tunnel testing.

Details of the statue's removal, how the support post will be replaced, who will do the work and where it will be done are still under consideration.

"We are presently developing plans that will allow us to safely remove the Golden Boy and lower it to the ground," said Ashton. "This is a important symbol of our heritage and every precaution will be taken throughout the moving, repair and re-installation of this icon to protect it."

Restoration and re-installation of the Golden Boy are scheduled for completion by September 2002. The stonework and restoration of the tower are on schedule, within budget and will be completed by the end of November.

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Manitoba Golden Boy

• Sculpted by Georges Gardet.
• Cast in bronze in France in 1918.
• Placed on top of the Legislative Building on November 21, 1919.
• Modelled on the 16th century sculpture of Mercury by Giovanni da Bologna.
• Originally painted in gold, gilded in 1951.
• He is 5.25 metres tall from the foot to the top of the torch.
• Based on photogrammetric information, it is estimated the Golden Boy weighs 1,650 kg.
• The current light was installed in 1966 and was lit on December 31, 1966, to mark Canada's centennial.